nofilmschool » producing

17 Things About The Film Biz That Should Significantly Influence Your Behavior

Guest Author — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:02:53 +0000

The film industry has changed dramatically over the past decade, and trying to make a living from movies is getting more difficult as independent films (and films in general) fight for a smaller piece of the viewership pie. That’s where people like Ted Hope come in. He has been working tirelessly to make sustainable filmmaking careers a reality, and he’s written a tremendous post that should be an eye-opener for anyone trying to survive as a filmmaker.

This is a guest post by Producer Ted Hope. (more…)

Hollywood Reporter Roundtable: Female Agents Discuss Their Work in a Male-Heavy Industry

Dave Kendricken — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:45:10 +0000

There are plenty of vital positions in the entertainment industry we inevitably end up appreciating less than we probably should. So much has to go on in the background for each element to crystallize and become integrated into the final product in an organized way. The agent is a large part of this — the intermediary between the creative artist (writer, director, actor, etc.) and what their next gig will be — or, from another perspective, where their next paycheck will come from. Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter (you can watch the other roundtables we’ve shared here), we are now privy to a great deal of anecdotes, recollections, and candor from a number of high-profile agents, all of whom happen to be women. (more…)

Join Producer Ted Hope and Writer/Director Todd Solondz for a Reddit AMA December 19th

Joe Marine — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:23:47 +0000

Ted Hope and Todd Solondz are both gigantic names in the indie world, and they are about to release the new film Dark Horse DRM-free on VHX online VOD. The film was just coming to theaters when Ted Hope had his talk at the Vimeo Festival back in June, and now the two of them (Hope and Solondz), are going to be participating in a Reddit Ask-Me-Anything on Wednesday in celebration of the VHX release. Click through for all of the details. (more…)

Want to Get Your Film Made in Hollywood? A 29 Step Process to Help You Get the Green Light

Joe Marine — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 20:30:13 +0000

Getting a film made in Hollywood is no small task, and more often than not, many projects wind up in what many call “Development Hell.” This is where a project gets stuck in an endless loop of nonsense that usually involves a back and forth among the various individuals who are working on a particular film. Joshua Marston, writer/director of Maria Full of Grace and The Forgiveness of Blood (which also happens to be available from the Criterion Collection), has put together a graphic giving a (only slightly) tongue-in-cheek step by step process to getting a film green-lit in Hollywood. (more…)

Ted Hope on the Change-Challenged Independent Film Industry and Where It's Going

Ryan Koo — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:25:36 +0000

Three years ago I shared a quote about the independent film world that I found telling: “Europeans know how to fill out forms. Americans know how to sell.” As indie superproducer (and now head of the San Francisco Film Society) Ted Hope shares below, this is because “[America] is one of two countries in the industrialized world that doesn’t see fit to fund film art as part of its job stimulus, as part of its cultural exchange.” While indie filmmakers can always apply for grants, the fact is to have an actual life-sustaining career in today’s industry, each and every one of us must know as much as possible about producing, marketing, distribution and in general The Business. Let’s check in on the state of independent film producing, circa 2012. (more…)

20 Independent Filmmaking Pointers from SXSW

E.M. Taboada — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:05:47 +0000

If you’re like me, you probably weren’t at this year’s SXSW festival — but through the magic of the internets we can still reap some of the knowledge shared there. Filmmaker Magazine’s blog covered two filmmaking related panels, “The Great Cinematography Shootout” and “Making it Happen: Financing an Independent Film”, and boiled each down to 10 ponderable tips. The first panel looks at how cinematographers handle low budget constraints while the second provides insight into what independent producers face while putting films together: (more…)

Here's a Discount for the Producing Masterclass in NYC with Ted Hope and Christine Vachon

Ryan Koo — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:55:00 +0000

21 Grams. Far from Heaven. In the Bedroom. One Hour Photo. Boys Don’t Cry. American Splendor. I’m Not There. Happiness. Adventureland. The Ice Storm. These are just a few of the independent films produced by superproducers Ted Hope and Christine Vachon, and the two of them are banding together to share what they’ve learned with other producers and aspiring producers on Saturday, November 5, 2011 here in NYC. The masterclass focuses on the important stuff: “get your movie made, make it well, make it great, get it seen, and survive to do it all over again.” They’ve also created a discount code for NoFilmSchool readers: “NoFilmSchooler125″ will save you $25. For would-be indie producers, this is a must-attend workshop, and you couldn’t pick a better pair of producers to learn from. Here are the full details: (more…)

Scenechronize is a Web-Based Tool for Production Professionals

Ryan Koo — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 17:43:58 +0000

Scenechronize is a browser-based production tool that breaks down scripts, prints sides, helps with scheduling, and does a number of other production tasks that I don’t have experience with myself. It looks similar to Movie Magic Budgeting, except Scenechronize is a web-based, and instead of a flat price of $500 it’s modular and is priced anywhere from free to $2,800. In the works since 2006, the program’s creators claim Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures are already using it. An example screen: (more…)